New Ulm weekly review., 1887-10-05
A CITY IN INDIA.
Observation of Life In Hy-
derabad-Popular Errors bout
Eastern Iu uxurianc

Personal Observation of Life In Hy-
derabad-Popular Errors About
Eastern Luxuriance.
Few of those who have not actually
visited India, says letter from Bonn
bay, are aware that the number of
more or less independent native states
and prime palities owing allegiance in
various degrees to the imperial crown
of Great Britain exceeds 450. while the
l260, 000,0 who inhabit the vast pen
iinsula speak nearly 200 distinct Lam
guages and dialects. Yet such is the
truth. Of all these states the Moslem
state of Hyderabad is by for the largest
and mostimportant. His highness the
nizam rules over 5000 square miles of
territory. hav NO population Of 9, 7o0,-
900 souls, chiefly Mohammedans and
Hindoos. with scant sprinkliug of
Jews and Parsess, and handful of
| Christians.
| A British resident is installed beneath
the walls of his highness' capital, with
out whose sanction not much can be
done, and British troops garrison
Secunderabad, some few miles from the
gates. 1t is needless tc say that the
native states are allowed to indulge in
no foreign policitv, but are merely
given more or less latitude in the in
ternal administration. In many instan-
ces, moreover, the government of India
actually collects the revenues and ad-
ministers the principality on commits
sion, certain fixed sum, or percent
age, as the case may be, being handed
over to the nominal ruler, who lives
free from the cares of state among The
ladies of his '.zenana." Not that
would have it understood that the
majority Of Indian rajahs or maharaja
are mere voluptuaries. On the con-
trary many of them are cultivated, re-
fined gentlemen, intelligently superin-
tending and assisting in the administra-
ton of their revenues, and personally
inquiring into the wants of their sub
jects. A few public-spirited rulers, re-
fusing all government guarantee, have
constructed railways at their own cost
and risk in their territories, and many
have established schools and museums,
encouraging to their utmost native art
and learn ng. Foremost among the
enlightened native mobiles stood the late
S:r Salar Yung, prime minister during
the nizam's minority, whose son, the
courteous and cultivated young Sir
Salar, bids fair to follow worthily in the
position to VIII ch he has succeeded his
father.
| have been entertained by several
of the mobiles and gentlemen at Hy yder-
abad, Bombay, and elsewhere, and have
consequently had some opportunity of
Judging while my position as an nl-
partial American will shield me from
any suspicion of fattery when l say
that I found among them as polished
and cultivated men as could be found
in any western capital.
Blu ldings of any artistic Importance,
save the palaces and mausoleums of
Golconca (of arabian Nights fancy
there are none. But in spite of this all
agree in calling Hyderabad the most
interesting city in India. 1t is the peo-
/ pie themselves, the street life, the me-
diseval pageants and pomp which fas-
cinate. Everything seems to have
stood still for centuries. One is plung-
ed suddenly into the age of the caval-
! iers The town is battlemented an d
ditched and jealousy guarded. In fact
a permit from the resident is necessa-
ry for EuropeanAwho wish to enter the
walls.
Once over the bridge spanning the
half dried stream. where elephants are
splashing in the deep pools. and hum
dreds of 'dhobies' are pounding aud
scrubbing the linen of Hydeabadee
households. and what a Kaleidoscope
jumble meets the eve in the densley-
crowded streets! There are long rows
OF low. whitewashed buildings, with
facades of Saracenic arches, under
which the merchants squat among piles
4 SSesoA SooN&oS oAlhS, OdL JCGS, III itSS-
ware, gran, ETC., sucking med tatively
the amber mouthpiece of the inevita-
bic ''hubble-bubble'; money-change gers
chewing betelleaf and rafting their
bags of 'hailisicker'' rupees. or Jumps
of rough-cut silver and copper. On
the flat, terraced roofs yelled women
are curiously peering at the yelling
tlrong below through latticed screens.
reminding one of Stamboul or Cairo.
Elephants. gorgeously caparisoned,
saldled with silver '.howdah, !" in which
*Nawabs, " clad in brilliantly y-em broid-
cred silks and velvets. recline on cush-
ions77 camels. on which are perched the
Arab soldiers OF the nizam, armed with
/ lance and shield: prancinp little horses